165. Today in 1920s Turkey: 8 August 1928 (Karagöz and Watermelons to Save the Day)

(Cover page, Karagöz, 8 August 1928, no. 2128, page 1.)

Türkçe
Bu yıl kuraklara inat, maşallah karpuz kavunla bal kabaklığı, ukalalık ve palavracılık bereketlidir

Karagöz: Hey babam hey! Kimi kurum satar, kimi sıçanlı ekmek satar, kimi caka satar, kimi [?] avanak satar, kimi taze insan eti, kimi bayat sagir köftesi satar. Bari ben de bal gibi kavun karpuzu ucuza satayım da herkes ağız tadıyla içini !.

English
Praise be! To spite the drought, this year watermelons and cantaloupes as well as pumpkinery/idiocy, wise-assery, and claptrappery are plentiful

Karagöz: Behold! Some sell (their own) airs, others sell rat-filled bread, some deal in swaggery, others sell gullible [?], some sell fresh human flesh, others sell little stale meatballs. I might as well sell these excellent watermelons and cantaloupes for cheap so that everyone can cool themselves off with full enjoyment.

(Cover page, Karagöz, 8 August 1928, no. 2128, page 1. Hakkı Tarık Us Collection, Beyazit Library, Istanbul.)

Comments:
The heat and humidity of late-summer Istanbul is known to all who have survived a July or August out in the city’s sweltering streets. The colorful cover of today’s issue of Karagöz captures the eye like a desert mirage. It depicts yellow cantaloupes and lush green watermelons arriving to the city by boat, thus heralding cool and crisp relief from the summertime heat.

The famous Turkish shadow theater character and mascot to his namesake journal, Karagöz is located in the lower right corner of the scene while his companion, Hacivat stands on the boat, ready to throw him a melon. Both characters are readily identified by their hats and the shapes of the beards. Their images are also repeated in the journal’s nameplate above the illustration as they flank the red-inked “قره کوز” text at its center. A satirical journal, Karagöz (est. 1908) often included these characters in their cartoons and other content.

On and off the pages of this journal, the Karagöz character was known for his humor, quick wit, and elaborate word-play. Today’s monologue is especially rich in word-play, much of which, unfortunately, is lost in translation. The imagery of the cover suggests the topic of discussion is a mundane (yet delicious) subject like watermelons. Yet Karagöz’s commentary betrays the other, less pleasant matters affecting the people. A truth-speaker, Karagöz takes this opportunity to complain about the posers, scammers, and cheats who are filling the streets.

Well, if that is the case, then what purpose do the watermelons serve? The watermelons are advertisement! They are an analogy for what Karagöz, the journal, has to offer its readers: refreshing, satisfying, honest-to-goodness relief from the peddlers of hardship, trickery, and idiocy in this world.